Non-refillable bottle.



No. 864,130. PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907.

E. HOERIGHS. NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE.

Inwwziar aria/Z12 Idzaardfi 1 I 1 ll APPLICATION IILED NOV. 8, 1906- I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD HOERIOHS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES H. BOONE AND ONE-THIRD TO-THOMAS A. BRYAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

Application filed November 6, 1906. Serial No. 342,282.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD Honnrons, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore City and State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Non-Refillable Bottles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to non-refillable bottles, and the object thereof is to provide a bottle in a manner as hereinafter set forth with a valve mechanism having the valvular member thereof adapted to be suddenly released or moved from its seat so as to allow free discharge of the contents of the bottle, and the said mechanism is further provided with means to maintain the valve in a closed position when the bottle is being tampered with for the purpose of fraudulently filling the same.

A further obj eet of the invention is to provide the bottle with a valve mechanism in a manner as hereinafter set forth, and which can be readily actuated so as to allow the contents of the bottle to be discharged, and normally affording protection for the prevention of a mali cious person successfully refilling the bottle with a fluid after the bottle has been emptied.

The invention further aims to construct the valve mechanism of such material as to afford sanitary conditions, for the reason that the material from which the valve mechanism is constructed will not corrode nor be affected in any manner by the contents of the bottle.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a valve mechanism for the bottle to prevent the refilling thereof, which will be simple in its construction, strong, durable, eflicient in its use, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and readily set up in position within the bottle.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come properly within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views :I*igure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a bottle with the body portion broken away, showing means to prevent the refilling of the bottle in accordance with this invention arranged in the neck of the bottle. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the bottle showing the same tilted, and with means to prevent the refilling of the bottle arranged in the neck portion. Figs. 3 and 1 are details.

In the drawings, 1 designates the body portion of a bottle, 2 the neck, and 3 the throat, the latter being of tapered form and terminating in the mouth portion 4. Secured within and depending from the throat 3 is a cage consisting of an inverted cup-shaped portion 5, having projecting from the top thereof a hollow tubular portion 6, which is arranged approximately centrally of the top portion 5 and communicates with the interior of said portion 5 through the medium of an opening 7. The cup-shaped portion 5 has projecting from the top thereof at each side of the tubular portion 6 a pair of arms 8 and 9 which constitute supports, diverge at their upper ends with respect to each other, and terminate in the lower face of an annular member 10, which the arms 8 and 9 are adapted to support. The annular member 10 is of greater diameter than the cup-shaped portion 5, and the periphery thereof is inclosed by a resilient band 11 which snugly engages the member 10 and is prevented from slipping upwardly off the said member 10 through the medium of an outwardly extending ridge 12, against which the top edge of the band 11 abuts. The cage is wedged in the throat 3 of the bottle and retained in such position owing to the action of the resilient band 11.

Extending through the opening 7 and tubular portion 6 is a cylindrical tube 13, which is capable of a sliding movement through the cage. Extending through the tube 13 is a flexible member 14 which has secured thereto near its upper end, by means of a plug 15, the tube 13. To the flexible member 14 at its lower end and at a point removed from the lower end of the tube 13 is connected a weight 16, the latter having in its upper end a countersink 17 to receive the lower end of the tube 13 when occasion so requires. The weight 16 is cylindrical in cross section, and the contour thereof is such as to taper in a step by step manner towards its upper end, so that the upper portion will be decidedly of less diameter than the lower portion. The weight 16 is adapted to extend in the portion 5 of the cage, and the inner face of the portion 5 of the cage tapers towards its upper end so as to properly guide the weight to a position so that the upper end of the weight will engage in a recess 18 formed in the upper end of the portion 5, and thereby engage the lower end of the tube 13, shifting the same and moving the valve 19. The top edge of the annular member 10 constitutes a seat 20 for the valve 19, the latter being carried by the flexible member 14 and secured to said member at a point removed from the upper end of the tube 13. The valve 19 is square in contour and formed of flexible material, preferably mica, so that it will conform to any irregularities in the valve seat if pressure is exerted against the valve from the outside. The conformation of the valve 19 is square so it will cause certain of the corners thereof to engage the tapering wall of the throat 3 and assist in the valve assuming its seat when the bottle is moved to an upright position. The flexible member 14 extends through 110 the valve 19 and is secured to a circular float 21, the latter being positioned upon the outer face of the valve 19. Owing to the connecting of the valve 19 to the flexible member in the manner as stated, that is to say, at a point removed from the upper end of the tube 13 when the bottle is inverted, the valve will move slightly from its seat in advance of the shifting of the valve by the tube 13. Owing to the fact that the tube 13 is fixed to the flexible member 14 no displacement of the tube 13 along the flexible member 14 can be had, so consequently when the bottle is first tilted the valve 19 will move off of its seat to allow the initial flow of the liquid, but when the tilted movement is continued the tube 13 will engage the valve and shift and hold the same from its seat so that the flow of the liquid will not be interrupted. The movement of the tube 13 is guided by the tubular portion 5. It will be apparent that the countersink 17 will allow sufiicient play to the tube 13 while the weight is within the cup-shaped lower portion 5 of the cage when the bottle is substantially in a horizontal position to allow the valve 19 to reach its seat before the weight is dislodged, should an effort be made to force a fluid or instrument in the bottle neck if an attempt be made to fraudulently refill the bottle.

When the bottle is in a substantially horizontal position the ridges formed upon the periphery of the weight will remain in engagement with the edge of the portion 5 of the cage, and upon further tilting ol the bottle for the purpose of dispensing its contents the weight will be suddenly released from engagement with the edge of the portion 5, and owing to gravity will drop against one end of the tube 13, thereby causing a shifting of the tube, and which will cause the moving of the valve from its seat and its retention in such position. When the bottle is brought to an upright position the action of the weight will cause the valve to assume its position against its seat, thereby closing the cage and preventing the bottle from being refilled.

Within the throat 3 of the bottle, near the mouth 4 and a suitable distance above the cage, is an interference which is adapted to prevent the insertion of a tool so that the valve cannot be tampered with, said interference consisting of a pair of notched disks 22, notches being provided in the margins of the disks and are indicated by the reference character 23. The notches of one disk are alternately disposed with respect to the notches upon the other disk, so that the notches of one disk will not register with the notches of the other disk. The disks are separated and connected together by a pair of coupling members 24, which are suitably spaced apart so as to provide a recess 25, in which is mounted an elastic member 26, bearing against a pair of shiftable dogs 27 for holding the interference in position. The wall or throat of the bottle is provided with a groove 28, and in this groove the dogs 27 are adapted to engage so as to retain the interference in position. When the interference is inserted in the neck of the bottle the dogs 27 will be moved inwardly, thereby compressing the member 26, but as soon as the dogs 27 arrive opposite 30 is of much greater contour than the stud 29 so as to form a passage 32 for the outlet of the liquid. The notches 23 in the disks 22 also act as outlet passages. The ring 30 acts as a guard to prevent any instrument being inserted into the neck of the bottle beyond the disks 22, that is to say, if the instrument passes through the notches of a disk 22 the ring 30, as well as the stud 29, will act as a means to arrest further inward movement of the instrument, so that there will be no liability of inserting a tool in the neck of the bottle so that the valve 19 can be tampered with.

The cage, as well as the weight and tube and also the resistance, is constructed of such material that none of these elements will corrode or be affected in any manner by the fluid or liquid in the bottle; preferably the material employed is glass, and by constructing the elements of such material no injurious effects will be had by the fluid or liquid engaging with any of such elements when the fluid or liquid is discharged from the bottle.

The length of the flexible member 14 is such that when the valve 21 is dislodged from its seat it will en able the valve to be suspended the necessary distance from its seat so that the contents of the bottle can be freely discharged. Should a vacuum be formed in the bottle alter being emptied in an attempt to refill the bottle and when the bottle is in an inverted position the flexible member and tube during the movement of floating the valve towards its seat by the incoming liquid will move through the cage but not dislodge the weight for the reason that the countersink portion in the weight allows of the necessary movement of the flexible member with respect to the weight when the valve is against its seat.

What is claimed is 1. In a non-refillable bottle, a cage adapted to be secured in the throat of a bottle and comprising a cup shaped portion at one end and an annular member at the other end connected with the said cup-shaped portion, said annular member constituting a valve seat, a valvular member, a weight, a flexible connection between the valvular member and the weight, and a tubular element fixedly connected to said flexible member, extending through said cage and adapted to be engaged by the weight for shifting the valve from its seat.

2. In a non-refillable bottle, a cage having an inverted cup-shaped lower portion and an annular member portion constituting a valve seat, a flexible valvular member adapted to engage said seat, a weight adapted to engage in the said cup-shaped lower portion of the cage, a flexible connection between the valvular member and the weight, and a tubular element surrounding and fixed to the flexible connection and adapted to shift the valvular member from its seat.

3. In a non-refillable bottle, a cage having an inverted cup-shaped lower portion and an annular upper portion constituting a valve seat, a flexible valvular member adapted to engage said seat, a weight adapted to engage in the said cup-shaped lower portion of the cage, a flexible con nection between the valvular member and the Weight, and a tubular element surrounding and fixed to the flexible connection and adapted to shift the valvular member from its seat, said weight provided with means to allow of the return of the valvular member to its seat without the dislodging thereof.

4. In a non-refillable bottle, a cage having an inverted cup-shaped lower portion and an annular member forming a valve seat, an elastic band surrounding the member for securing the cage within the throat of the bottle, a tube slidable within the said cage, a valve carrying a float and flexibly connected at one extremity of the tube, and a weight flexibly connected at the other end of the tube.

5. In a non-refillable bottle, a casing comprising an inverted cupshaped lower portion and an annular member forming a valve seat fixedly connected thereto, a tube slidable in said cage, a valve, a float carried by the valve, a weight adapted to engage in the cup-shaped portion and having a step by step tapering extremity, and means for flexibly connecting the float and valve at one extremity of the slidable tube and the weight at the opposite extremity.

G. In a non-refillable bottle, a cage having an inverted cup-shaped portion and an annular member forming a valve seat, said member of greater diameter than said cupshaped portion and rigidly connected to the same, said cup-shaped portion provided with a tapering inner face, a slidable tube extending in said cup-shaped portion, a valve, a float secured to one side of said valve, a weight having a step by step tapering periphery for engagement with the edge and inner face of the cup-shaped portion of the cage, and flexible means extending through said tube and connccted at one end to the valve and at its other end to the weight, said means secured to one end of the tube.

7. In a non-refillable bottle, a cage having an inverted cup-shaped portion and an annular member forming a valve seat, said member of greater diameter than said cup-shaped portion and rigidly connected to the same, said cup-shaped portion provided with a tapering inner face, a slidable tube extending in said cup-shaped portion, a valve, a float secured to one side of said valve, a weight having a step by step tapering periphery for engagement with the edge and inner face of the cup-shaped portion of the cage, flexible means extending through said tube and connected at one end to the valve and at its other end to the weight, said means secured to one end of the tube, and an elastic band surrounding the ring for maintaining the valve casing in position in the neck of the bottle.

8. In a non-refillable bottle, a cage having an inverted cup-shaped lower portion provided with a tubular guide, said cage further embodying an annular member forming a valve seat and connected to said cup-shaped portion, a shiftable tube extending through said guide into said capshaped portion, a flexible valvular member adapted to en gage said seat, a weight extending in said tubular portion, and a flexible connection extending through said tube and carrying on one end the said valve and on its other end the said weight.

9. In a non-reflllable bottle, a cage having an inverted cup-shaped portion provided with a tubular guide, said cage further embodying an annular member forming a valve seat and connected to said cup-shaped portion, a shiftable tube extending through said guide into said cupshaped portion, a flexible valvular member adapted to engage the said seat, a weight extending in said tubular portion, and a flexible connection extending through said tube and carrying on one end the said valve and on its other end the said weight, and means carried by the annular member for securing the cage within the bottle neck.

10. In a nonreflllable bottle, a cage having an inverted cup-shaped lower portion provided with a tubular guide, said cage further embodying an annular member forming a valve seat and connected to said cup-shaped portion, a shiftable tube extending through said guide into said cupshaped portion, a flexible valvular member adapted to em gage the said seat, a weight extending in said tubular portion, a flexible connection extending through said tube and carrying on one end said valve and its other end the said weight, means carried by the annular member for securing the cage within the bottle neck, and an interference within the throat of the bottle and arranged above the cage.

11. A non-refillable bottle, comprising means constituting a valve seat mounted within the throat of the bottle, a weight, a flexible connection between the weight and the valve for drawing the valve to and retaining it against its seat, a shiftable element surrounding said flexible conncction and adapted to be actuated by the weight to engage the valve to move it from its seat, said weight provided with means to permit of the shifting of said ele ment towards the weight to allow of the seating of the valve before the weight is shifted by the said element.

12. A non-refillable bottle, comprising means constituting a valve seat mounted within the throat of the bottle, a weight, a flexible connection between the weight and the valve for drawing the valve to and retaining it against its seat, a shiftable element surrounding said flexible connection and adapted to be actuated by the weight to engage the valve to move it from its seat, said weight provided with means to permit of the shifting of said element towards the weight to allow of the seating of the valve before the weight is dislodged, and an interference within the throat of the bottle above the valve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD HOERICHS.

Witnesses N. L. BOGAN, CHAS, S HYER. 

